New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-24
BASEBALL UNCERTAINTY
pRopHErsAsgAMED NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
SILLY SUGGESTIONS OF MANY NINEs-coMiNG
TROUBLES OF MANAGERS

Baseball this year seems 10 Do an even moro un-
certain and puzzing thing than ever In past seasons
at this time of the year. when the playing season was
more than half over, could determine win some
accuracy which mines would be In the 'front.' RANKS
whom the snow and frost sent the players from tue
green diamond field their forced season OF retire.
nen Before the present season was opened ana even
after the clubs well under way for their long
race tor championship honors telling which CLUB
would win the trophy OF the League was compara-
lively easy work for some people, Those people now
look upon their prophecies frghtiu nightmares ana
are hedging with more rapidity than grace. The
Western circuit of baseball decided that Detroit was
80 sure OF capturing the pennant that the pedestal ad
dag staff were ordered by the Wolverine enthuslasts
and the pr actcay over as far as they were
concerned In the kindness OF their Western nature
they thought that Boston or NewYork could fight it
out for second place. The Chicago club would finish
the season anywhere from fifth to last while the
other clubs were figures in tho race merely put in
to show the immense superiority OF the wolverine
city's club. .
dreams OF the ambitious citizens OF Detroit. and they
see their fond hopes adng away and their great base
ball club being beaten with mactne-like regularity
nearly every day. tho Chicago club, which had no
chance at all until few weeks ago, now appears to
have better show" for the trophy than any OF the
other mines. There is also an improvement In the
Boston club aud the hopes of the followers Of the
nine of the Hub been frestened and rejuvenated
An even grester improvement has been noticed in the
work of the Philadelphia club OF late aud the quiet
Ouakers are really becoming excited. The PhIladel-
mia club has set sail after its NewYork rivals and Is
rapidly overhauling the Giants" The Washington
Climb is also playing fine form and is cas ling con-
sternation among the ranks of its opponents. The
Door Ptsburg and Indianapolis clubs are the sufferers
at present, and being defeated with -unbecoming
regularity.
Manager Mutrie seems to think that the local club
has still excellent chance to win the pennant, but
he il confident OF final success for the Giants
as he was early in the season He Is firmly convinced
that the goddess OF fortune i'll not snile upon him
and his players and that is hard luck alone that has
beaten the New-York club so frighttuly manyitimes
this season. He thinks that the tickle goddess will
champion his before long anu that he and b s
welfed players will have easy time of 1: from the
present to the close of the season. Every body who
follows baseball closely will admit that baseball luck
and basebsll victories go hand in hand togther.
They July aware that lucky bound or peculiar
incident will win many game. They do not believe
however, that certain clubs have all the luck ar
others all the misfortunes. The EewYork club may
have lost several games through bad luck, but t lost
hve times that nun Der by poor and indifferent play
ing. Sickness and accidents have visited the local
club the same as other mines, but not to the extent
that the local management would have the pubic be-
Hove The nine Is at present IN splenuia cohai,yh
players whether the club Will make an honorable
record from this time out The sooner the LAYERS
10 believe that they con tinnay hoodooed
the better IL will be for the record OF tho club and the
golfers OF the stockholders.
Some Of the Metropolitan players are equally as
superstitious and they firmly believe that the demon
of ill-luek Is constantly lowering over them Inc
least little incident out OF the ordinary OF affairs
will hoodoo the Indians for week. A blockade
a stolen or mIsayed bat, crosseyed man or any |
other similar omen will make the Metropotans so
nervous tina. they could not beat club of nine one
legged cripyles. Que OF the players has written an
eight verse poem which he looks upon with pride, and
some of tho men firmly believe that when the proud |
author reads his little ditv the hoodoo Is trgh-
enod away On Monday OF tho enthusiastic tol-
lowers OF the club fred peanut shsll on the iron
lust back OF the home plate ~ st. George and
when the indians Won the next three games he hrmly
believed that the peanut shell did IT, cruel Storm
visited the Island Thursday and the shell was |
carried away aid lost. OF course the Nets
did not win on Friday and the players under
hoodoo's" charge again 1t is extremely probable
that the Metropolitan club will have outlived It's
usefulness with the 1se OF the present seas IN, and
IL there any baseball at st. George next year the
sport will be furnished by stranger and mere popular
nine than the present inhabitants. Mr. Wiman ac- |
knowedges that tho Metropolitan are not success
aud the popular station Island millionaire has not the
reputation OF harboring failure for any length OF
time. Mr. Wiman would like 10 have tbs New York
club pay down at Staten Island next year, there
il chance OF the local League club going there even
early next season. IL s extremely doubtful that
the GLIB will be able to hold the Polo Grounds much
longer
Several eruptions promised in baseball before
the next season De2ns and the baseball managers
will be kept In stew during the winter The League
managers apparently not solicitons about the
out come OF the approaching troubles their American
Association brethren Some OF the American Assoo'a-
ton managers are confident that il changes are
not made two three OF the American Associa
ton clubs will jump to the League Pttsburg made
Jump this season and landed IN the League harbor.
and the Association managers are not especially
xious witness another acrobatic feat OF the KIND
Said the manager OF one OF the clubs the other day
The Association must adopt the percentage system
or lose OF its best clubs II the system Is not
adopted the ST. Louis club will 90 into the League
sure IL would not be bad idea Tor each OF the egnt
cIu la In nut "A
awarded TO the nine winning the championship" ,
club is frmy opposed to any such plan. lie a hfm
believer In the guarantee system at present Ia cse ana
does not believe in sharing his ample gate receipts
Win sny other nine. He believes that club should
stand on its foundation andHt the pedestal becomes
unable to bear the burden, lot 1t tumble
Baseball men earlier in tho season predicted that
the Detroit club did not win the League char pioi
shi2 this year the ninc was doomed. with winning |
bne the club pay expenses and reward the stock
holders with small dividend. The city Is not hrge
support losing club. That the players may be dis
srbuted to other clubs, sold to the highest bidder or
the nine transferred other city seems probable
81 pi esent Negotiations were pending last season
bot the management OF the metropolitan and
Detroit clubs for the transfer OF the latter 10 staten
Island but the scheme did not come TO head. |
oas may be opened next spring with better
results Ii s said that the Detroit directors will sell
the club Tor $4,000, but MI Wiman the prospective
purct aser will not paw that amount II is possible
that the Wolverines will reduce the price and when
they do a sale may be effected. The American Assoc
citation would then have club at st. George which
would win the ohal pionsh come near IL at least.
IL Is the general opnon that the ST. Lons club would
be only too anxious to take Detroits place in the |
League.
The Brooklyn club is doing good work at present, |
but hardly good enough to suit the facetous Brook
lynites Tho players too slow to suit the public
fancy. Much fault has been found with the manage
ncnt for the cement of the in the field and
especially with the selection OF the pitchers Ioole,
uhah aaH dana bet In
has pitched IN only occasional gamos Porter, who
palpably weak critical monents has done most OF
the pitching for the club and caused most OF its de-
feats The spectators at Washington Park want to |
see Tools pitch and frequently call Toole, |
Toole during the progress OF match Ioole to date
won eight and lost eight Porter has won eleven and
lost thirteen. Terry has lost eight aud won nine, |
while Henderson has won three and lost three Tooe